Distinguishing between freckles and age spots can be a difficult task to handle. This is because of the many similar characteristics of both. These include the fact that they are both small spots found on the skin in exposed areas and that their appearance is associated with the exposure of the skin to sunlight.
Age spots are dark blemishes on the skin surface, caused mainly by overexposure to sunlight. The ultraviolet radiation from the sun is the cause of the spots. The skin has a layer of melanin. Melanin is a dark pigment produced by the body to protect the skin from ultraviolet radiation. It is the one that is responsible for determining the skin color. When the skin is exposed to UV radiation, more melanin is produced for protection. When the person is growing old, the bits of melanin in the skin clamp together and form small blemishes on the skin surface known as age spots. They are more common with aging people hence the name age spots.
Although the ultraviolet radiation is the main cause of these rays, genetics is believed to also take part in the formation of the age spots. Genetics dictates the skin color, hair color and hence determines how vulnerable to ultraviolet radiation one is going to be. Tanning beds and sun bathing makes the symptoms worse hence it is discouraged for those with age spots.
Freckles on the other hand are caused by uneven distribution of melanin in the body. A freckle is simply an uneven deposit of melanin on one part of the skin. They are common with people who are light skinned. The causes are many. The first one is ultraviolet rays. The rays trigger production of more melanin which forms the freckle. Another cause of freckles is heredity. Two people may be exposed to the same intensity of sunlight and yet differ in the formation of freckles. This is because the formation of freckles will depend on other factors like the skin type and color, which are determined by the genetic make-up of a person.
Most freckles are uniformly colored on a person’s body depending on the skin color of the person involved. They tend to darken after exposure to sunlight and become lighter in the colder seasons. Freckles unlike age spots are not limited to aging people. The can appear on the skin of people as young as one or two years old. There are two types of freckles namely simple freckles and sunburn freckles. Simple freckles are normally darker and larger while sunburn freckles are relatively smaller and lighter.
Recent Age Spots Articles:
Age spots are dark blemishes found on the skin surface. They are non-malignant and painless spots. The main cause of these blemishes is the ultraviolet rays from the sun. These rays cause the skin to produce more melanin which later clamps together to form the age spots. Melanin is a dark pigment found in the skin that gives the skin its color and doubles up as a protection of the skin against ultraviolet radiation.
There are several types of age spots. The first type is the lentigines. Lentigines are spots caused by sun burns. They are dark in color and are also non-malignant. They are painless and cause no health risk. The only discomfort is the not so pleasant look on the face. As much as these lentigines are caused by sunburns, they do not fade away in the winter or during cold seasons.
The next ones are the ephelides. The word ephelides comes from a Greek word that means freckles. These spots are small, flat and reddish to brown in color. These ones are more common with people who have lighter complexions. This type is hereditary, mainly affecting people with rad hair and green eyes.
The next group is the seborrheic keratosis. These are similar to age spots in that they are also caused by excessive exposure of the skin to sunshine. They are also non-malignant. However, these lesions form as patches on the skin unlike the age spots which are small in size. They also have a waxy or greasy appearance that is not found in age spots. These are more common with people who are above the age of 40.
Then there are the freckles. These are small and dark with irregular boundaries. They are mostly located on the face, shoulders and on the back near the shoulders. These are different in that they can also be found in young children unlike the age spots which are found exclusively in aging people.
All these have similar methods of removal. The methods include natural home remedies like application of fresh aloe vera gel, lemon juice or castor oil among others. These home remedies are very effective but they have to be handled with caution. Lemon juice for example can be very irritating when it comes to contact with sensitive skin or any other sensitive organ. The other treatment method would be laser therapy. This is very effective but is a bit more expensive compared to the others. However the chances of success are higher than in those other methods.
Recent Age Spots Articles:
Age spots are black, brown or grey marks that appear on the skin’s surface. These marks on the skin are of different sizes. They range from freckle sizes to more than a centimeter wide.
Age spots are known to appear on older people and they come as a result of much exposure to the sun. However, younger people can get it as a result of a lot of much exposure to the sun.
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Did you know that you can prevent age spots with the type of make-up that you use? Yes, what you heard is nothing but reality! Thanks to the presence of technology, make-up innovations now present make-ups that function in two areas, namely, aesthetics and skin care. Due to this skin care advancement, a sun protection factor which, according to its name, protects you from the sun, is now included in make-ups. However, picking the right SPF-equipped make-up for you is not an uncomplicated process.
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Age spots, though totally harmless, greatly affect your physical appearance negatively. As a result, the demand for various treatments that can remove age spots has greatly increased. You can actually pick one from the utilization of chemicals, laser, cryogens or creams with drugs among others. But if you are not ready for such harsh treatments, you are lucky because milder and natural treatments do exist. Moreover, you can prepare them on your own.
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Age spots are basically black, grey or light tan spots that appear on the skin. These spots are mostly unattractive but harmless. It is also important to note that people with age spots are more prone to skin cancer that other people. Age spots affect people over the age of 40 at most times but also younger people can have the skin condition as it depends on how much you have been exposed to the sun. Age spots can occur individually or cluster at one point. Age spots are able to be as small as a freckle and as wide as a centimetre.
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Many people do refer to cellulite as symptoms of age spots, but such spots though occur in older women but cannot be regarded as age spots. Cellulite is characterized by dimpling and nodularity, and it is characterized by orange coloured peels which often occur under the limbs. Just like age spots , cellulite develops in stages with the first stage caused by imbalances in cells and capillaries. This result from poor blood circulation , and when this is left untreated, the body will react by isolating the cells where blood flow has been cut, this will give rise to the second stage of cellulite development.
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Age spots are very irritating and make one see oneself as unattractive. They are spots on the skin that are mainly black caused by prolonged exposure to the sun. They mostly occur to people over the age of 40.
There are numerous affordable easy to handle home treatments for age spots. If you follow the little instructions to the latter you will achieve good results in at least a month.
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Age spots are nasty and therefore remedies for them have to be sought. Did you know that the treatment for age spots is a close as in your kitchen? Well, that is true. A few things here and there in your kitchen can help you to effectively get rid of age spots. These spots are simply easy to treat at home.
The kitchen has so many things that you are yet to explore to the maximum. Onions are great for cooking. Food without onions is just not food. The same applies to age spots. The juice from onions does magic to age spots you will be amazed. Apply the onion juice on the age spots and leave it to sip in for some time and you are good to go. Grated onions can also be mixed with vinegar to help treat these spots.
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Although the chemical peel treatment sounds like something that should be reserved only for serious cases of skin disease that are too far gone for any other treatment, nothing could be further from the truth.
A chemical peel is just another Age Spot treatment that helps alleviate a skin problem that begins right around age 40 and continues on with what seems increasing frequency over the next few years.
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